Automatic train-pipe connecter



Aug. 26, 1930.' .LROBINSQN 1,773,790

AUTOMATIC TRAIN PIPE- CONNECTER origin-C11 Filed Av1-11,11. 1921 Fmi. Ai

vau'

Patented Aug. 26, 1930 i UNITED 'STATE-s,

'PATENT oFFlcE aosEPH'RomNsoN, 0E NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC TRAIN-PIPE CONNECTER i Application mea April 11, 1921, seriaiNo. 460,435. 'Renewea'necember e, 1972s."V r

My invention relates to improvements in automatic train pipe connecter-s, and iscdirected particularly to the provision -of an improved means for attaching the automatic 1 l5 `connecter to the car coupler, especially to the well known bottom operating Sharon car coupler widely used on various types offrailway cars. My improvement comprises a novel form of lug which is either cast-integral with the coupler or welded thereon, and a bracket by which the connecter is attached to said lug in such a manner as toproduce a powerful and rugged foundation -for the automatic connecter. The construction minimizes the shearing strains upon the bolts-whichsecure the bracket to the lug, and reduces the back lash or play which usually develops in theY connection betweenthe bracket and the lug in the present types of lugs and brackets for 20 automatic connecters.

Vhile the Sharon bottomoperating vcar coupler leads, perhaps, all others'in point of number in use,especially on passenger'cars, it is the most difficult of the several to which c to apply an automatic connecter. This'is due to the peculiar form of operating lever used to open the knuckleof this coupler. It comprises a link or member which projects from the bottom of the coupler downwards approX- y '30 imately ten inches from the under side of the coupler shank. The lever leaves the coupler head at the exactplace lwhere the lugs toreceive the automatic connecter shouldbe located. It is essential to the continued satisf factory operation of the connecter that the lug therefor be located on the vertical center lug to one side of the coupler head, usually about three inches laterally of the vertical center line of the coupler. This location has necessitated the use of a bracket having a pronounced offset laterally resulting inexcess sive twisting` and bending strains in the provided with my improvement, and

bracket, especially in thejforks thereof which vspan the lug, when the connecters couple up.

Several years of experience, on a large number of cars, has proved that itis impossible to `maintain a proper connection between the coupler lugs and thisoffset style of bracket, or to maintain the connecter in proper position with respect tothe pulling face of the coupler when carried by such a bracket. n. This experience with these difficulties has led tothe development of the present improvement by which a powerful and rigid foundationfor supporting the connecter with respect tothe coupler is provided.v i

My invention resides in the mechanism illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is-a side ,elevation of the well known Sharon bottom operating car coupler Figure 2 isa front elevation thereof. V1n this view a portion of the coupler is broken away and thelink 3 is removed to illustrate more clearly the connection between the coupler andmyimproved lug.` Both the lugB andthe bracket Cof my improvement are shown in this view in elevation, and the automaticfconnecter is omitted. 1

vReferring now to the drawings: vThe well known Sharonbottom operating car coupler is-illustrated at A. It is provided `with a verticallyextending lever or link 3 which is adapted to be shifted upwardly in the coupler head to open the knuckle 4. This operation ofthe link 3 is accomplished by any one of the several types of operating levers 5 employed at the end of the car to shift the link 3 in the usual manner. lThe link 3 extends from within the coupler head downwardon approximately the vertical center line of the coupler and isy 'guided therein by projections 6.and 7' which lieon either side of the llink and* are vformed lintegral with the coupler head. The operating lever mentioned is usually attached to a crank-arm Sas at 9 which crank arm is pivotedto the couplerv head at 10 and operates through its connection 11 with the'link 3 to vlift the link when the operating lever 5 is pulled by thel trainmen` as aforesaid. My improved lug B is automatic connecter in applyingl it to their cars becomes evident when it is remembered that with the continued developments inthe air brake and heating apparatus of present day railway equipment, the buffer spring some instances and the loss, even at this early period in the use of automatic connecters, has amounted to many thousands of dollars.

.My improvement efectually provides against the reasonable possibility of this difficulty arising inasmuch as it provides a powerful and rugged foundation for the connecter, and is so loca-ted on the car coupler asto minimize the destructive strains of service upon its.

parts, thus insuring maximum life and stability.

IVhat I claim is: Y

l. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination with a car coupler having a vertically extending link adapted to movey vertically in the coupler head, of a lug for supporting said connecter on said coupler, saidy lug being provided with a pairV of vertically extending forwardly projecting walls 4,lying one on either side of said link and rigidly sef cured to said coupler head. 1

2. In an automatic train pipe connecter,- the combination with a car coupler having an opening in its lower side of a link adapted to reciprocate vertically in said opening, and means for attaching an automatic connecter to saidcoupler, said means comprising a lug having forwardly extending vertically disposed projections embracingsaid link and rigidly secured to said coupler, a vertically disposed base attached to said projections and extending downwardly therefrom, and a bracket secured to said base and carrying said connecter.

8. In an automatic train pipe connecter, the combination with a car coupler having an opening in its lower side, ofy a link adapted to reciprocate in said opening, and means for attaching an automatic connecter to said coupler, said means comprising a lug having a forked head embracing said link and shaped to conform approximately to the contour of the coupler at the point where it is applied thereto, the upper edges of saidl forked vhead being inclined away from the coupler to fa-v cilitate attachment of the lug to the coupler, a vertically disposed base formed integral with said forked head between theprongs thereof, and a bracket spanning said base, and rigidly clamped thereto.

4. In an automatic train'pipe connecter,

. the combination with a car coupler having ran opening in itsV lower side, of a pair of verprojections flanking said tically disposed said opening and formed integrally with coupler, a link adapted to reciprocateverticallyvin said opening'A betweenvsaid projections, and means for attaching an automatic connecter to said coupler, said means comi prising a lug having a pairV of vertically dis- `posed forwardly projecting portions joined at their rear endsforming a fork into which saidfve'rtically disposed projections extend, one of said forwardly'extending portions lying on either side of said link, a vertically disposed base connected to said portions, a bracket attached to ysaid base and having at its lower end an elongated projection provided with a flared'or curved seat adapted to Y permitY universal movement to said connecter.' In an automatic train pipey connecter, the combination with a car coupler suitablysup-v ported on a carrier iron and having an openbracket having a forked upper end into which said base extends, the inner walls of said forked'upper end being inclined to agree with the taper of said base, and means for clamp-V ing said forked end rigidly to said base.

6. In an automatic train pipe connecter, a

kcombination with a ycar coupler having an opening in its lowerside, of a link adapted to reciprocate in said opening, and means for attaching an automatic connecter to said coupier, and means comprising a lug having a forked head embracing said link and shaped to conform approximately to the contour of the coupler at the point where it is applied to the coupler, the upper edges ofvsaid forkedv edge being inclined away from the coupler ingI in its lower side, of a link adapted to reto facilitate attachment thereof to the c011-` pler, a base formed integral with said forked head between the prongs thereof and depending downwardly therefrom in the vertical Y plane immediately behind said link, a bracket forked at its upper end to receive said base and terminating at'its lower end in a vertically disposed elongated projection provided with a curved seat to support saidautomatic connecter` and topermit universal movement thereto, said bracket being offset between its forked upper end and said elongated projection tocarry said' projection forward under the lower end of said link, and means to rigidno e ly clamp the forked end of said bracket to said base.

7. A construction of the kind described comprising7 in combination, a car coupler `aaving an opening in its lower side, a bracket secured to said car coupler, means carried by said bracket for supporting an automatic connecter, a link adapted to reciprocate in the opening in said car coupler, said bracket at its upper end having upwardly projecting spaced portions which lie on opposite sides of said link, and which are secured to said car coupler on opposite sides of said opening.

8. A construction of the kind described comprising, in combination7 a car coupler having an opening in its lower sidea projection arranged on each side of said 0pening and extending downwardly from said coupler, a link adapted to reciprocate in said l)peiling between said projections, a bracket secured to said coupler, said bracket at its upper end having upwardly projecting spaced portions which embrace said link and said projections on the car coupler, and means carried by said bracket for supporting an automatic connecter.

9. .[n combination with a hollow car coupler having an opening in the bottom thereofand a link extending downwardly through said opening, said coupler having a projection arranged on each side of said opening and extending downwardly from said cou-I pler, a bracket secured to said coupler and extending downwardly therefrom, said bracket at its upper end having upwardly projecting spaced portions rigidly secured to said car coupler and spanning said projections thereon, and means carried by said bracket for supporting an automatic train pipe connecter.

In testimony whereof I affix rnv signature.

JOSEPH RoBIN'soN. 

